Virgin Mary In The Italian Renaissance

495 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Emotion and perception of art

The Italian Renaissance focused on the emphasis of expanding knowledge, exploration of potential, commitment to civic responsibility, and a human centric outlook. It focuses on all humanistic aspects, including anatomy and emotional expression. In the video Michelangelo Pietá, Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Zucker, discuss the marble sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding the body of Christ. The word pietá is often translated as pity or compassion. The video examines the emotional relationship between Christ and the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary is tilting her head down as she looks at the lifeless body of her son. Dr. Zucker and Dr. Harris analyze the emotional aspect of and state the reciprocal relationship of the two; Christ endured pain and now the Virgin Mary is enduring pain. They also discuss the details of the sculpture and compare the marble to flesh and the texture of the drapes. In the video Mona Lisa, Dr. Harris and Dr. Zucker examine Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Mona Lisa. They begin with …show more content…

Harris and Dr. Zucker discuss Raphael’s painting, Madonna of the Goldfinch in the video Raphael, Madonna of the Goldfinch. Madonna is seen sitting on a rock and reading. St. John is on her left and Christ is on her right and they are depicted as children, as if St. John and Christ interrupted her solitude. St. John is holding out a goldfinch and Christ strokes its head. The painting depicts a pyramid composition creating stability and balance. Dr. Harris and Dr. Zucker discuss the conceptual aspects of that painting, like how the goldfinch is a symbol of the passion of Christ and how it is a foretelling of Christ’s terrible future. Even though the concept is grim, the painting also depicts this aura of eternity and perfection. St. John’s facial expression and body gestures resembles the ones of a baby, a child likeness in John, but Christ’s posture is elegant and he does not seem to be as happy as John. Madonna also looks down at the children with a nurturing

Show More
Related

  • A Comparison of Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine and Rogier van der Weyden’s Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child

    1473 Words  | 3 Pages

    Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine exhibits a highly dramatic style that was not seen in his mentor nor in his fellow student Lippo Memmi’s work. The symmetric composition consists of two main figures, Saint Catherine and the adult Jesus. In the painting, Jesus is seen placing a ring on Saint Catherine’s finger and taking her as his spiritual bride. Both figures appear to be very light and frail and the draperies they wear do not show the human f...

    Read More

  • Women In Renaissance Florence

    1802 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the traditional political history of Italy the people outside of the ruling class of the society were rarely studied. Only with the use of social history did the issues of class and gender begin to be debated by scholars. Numerous recent articles have done a great job of analysing particularly men of high status. In this paper I will look at the lower classes of Renaissance Florence. More specifically, I will center my focus on the lives of women during this era, how they were treated and viewed by people of other classes and how women were viewed and treated by men.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Perugino And Caravaggio

    1317 Words  | 3 Pages

    The artists of the Baroque had a remarkably different style than artists of the Renaissance due to their different approach to form, space, and composition. This extreme differentiation in style resulted in a very different treatment of narrative. Perhaps this drastic stylistic difference between the Renaissance and Baroque in their treatment of form, space, and composition and how these characteristics effect the narrative of a painting cannot be seen more than in comparing Perugino’s Christ Delivering the Keys of the Kingdom to St. Peter from the Early Renaissance to Caravaggio’s Conversion of St. Paul from the Baroque.Perugino was one of the greatest masters of the Early Renaissance whose style ischaracterized by the Renaissance ideals of purity, simplicity, and exceptional symmetry of composition. His approach to form in Christ Delivering the Keys of the Kingdom to St.Peter was very linear. He outlined all the figures with a black line giving them a sense of stability, permanence, and power in their environment, but restricting the figures’ sense of movement. In fact, the figures seem to not move at all, but rather are merely locked at a specific moment in time by their rigid outline. Perugino’s approach to the figures’themselves is extremely humanistic and classical. He shines light on the figures in a clear, even way, keeping with the rational and uncluttered meaning of the work. His figures are all locked in a contrapposto pose engaging in intellectual conversation with their neighbor, giving a strong sense of classical rationality. The figures are repeated over and over such as this to convey a rational response and to show the viewer clarity. Perugino’s approach to space was also very rational and simple. He organizes space along three simple planes: foreground, middle ground, and background. Christ and Saint Peter occupy the center foreground and solemn choruses of saints and citizens occupy the rest of the foreground. The middle distance is filled with miscellaneous figures, which complement the front group, emphasizing its density and order, by their scattered arrangement. Buildings from the Renaissance and triumphal arches from Roman antiquity occupy the background, reinforcing the overall classical message to the

    Read More

  • The Annunciation: A Painting by Francisco de Zurbaran

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ability to create a picture of The Annunciation in one’s mind is a key factor in understanding the analysis of the work. Francisco de Zurbaran approaches the painting with a naturalistic style. The painting features a room in which a woman – like angel is seen at the left kneeling on the ground before the Virgin Mary. The figure of Mary is placed between a chair and a small wooden table draped with a green cloth. Mary disregards an open Bible on the table, as she appears solemn while staring at the floor. Floating above the two main figures in the upper left side of the painting are cherubs resting on a bed of clouds. They happily gaze down at Mary with eyes from Heaven.

    Read More

  • Madonna And Child Giotto Comparison

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    The depiction of Madonna and Christ is among the most ancient and common in Christian iconography and has an extensive number of variations because apart from its symbolic religious functions, it allows one to interpret the link between mother and child in many aspects. (8)

    Read More

  • Schone Madonna

    575 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Roudnice Madonna, a 35 1/2” x 26 1/4” panel constructed in approximately 1400, effectively shows the focus on amore soft and attractive Mary than seen in previous depictions. Using chiaroscuro, the artist modeled a beautiful face for the Virgin. The Christ child is more at ease than ever, relaxing comfortably with his mother. The drapery of the Virgin’s gown, similarly seen on the statues of this type, are full and rhythmic, extending to the wrist. This image of Mary is considered to be the finest image developed by the Bohemian sculptors, likely created for South Bohemian courts.

    Read More

  • Ecstasy Of St. Teresa Essay

    425 Words  | 1 Pages

    Teresa is measured to be Bernini’s most contentious and attractive monument. This sculpture was particularly notorious since a saint has never been represented in the state of sensual ecstasy, but St. Teresa labeled her involvement in an stimulating way, “ The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused me by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease.” Bernini was permitted to generate such a provocative bit of the sculpture by the way St. Teresa communicated about her involvement, “The sensuality of the piece is directly inspired by St. Theresa’s own writings, in which she describes her mystical experiences in overtly erotic terms.” The expression of St. Teresa is recognized to be the greatest attractive face to be fashioned in a sculpture. It is acknowledged to be that the angle’s appearance is flawlessly proportioned and each features of the expression is seamlessly situated and designed. Bernini poises St. Teresa’s impeccable magnificence and carnal ecstasy to accomplish the essence of Baroque art. This sculpture is notorious to be very Baroque since it portrays the maximum histrionic point in the saint’s lifetime and accommodates to the conception that God also means

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Social Structure In The Renaissance

    1197 Words  | 3 Pages

    Italian Renaissance is looked back today as one of the most important periods that has occurred in this world. It was the earliest manifestation of the Renaissance, as well it was the era of massive cultural change and achievement that started in the 14th century and terminated during the end of the 16th century. Many views of the Italian culture and society remained mostly medieval and the Renaissance didn’t fully develop until the end of the century. As the Renaissance started to develop it began in Central Italy and poured into the cities of Florence and Siena. As time surpassed it spread to Venice where the remains of Greek culture were gathered together, giving humanist scholar’s new texts. Social structure was a key part in the Renaissance

    Read More

  • Italian Women of the Renaissance

    2232 Words  | 5 Pages

    Across Europe, between 1400 and 1650, there were women present in all major styles of time. They worked along side of great artists and were developing new techniques and styles. Women also played a very important role in the Renaissance. Although not as well documented as their male counterparts, women worked along with the other great masters, were just as innovating, and were key in developing new techniques.

    Read More

  • Duccio di Buoninsegna's Madonna and Child

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The Met’s very own Mona Lisa” (Tomkins 9). That is what Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Madonna and Child painting is known as today. “The Metropolitan Museum of Art bought the Madonna and Child for forty-five to fifty million dollars” (Tomkins 1). However, the painting was not always in public hands; in fact, the Met purchased the last known work of Duccio in private hands. Originally, the painting was held in the private hands of Adolphe Stoclet and his wife. When the couple died, their house and their collection went to their son, Jacques who held onto the painting, and passed it down to his daughters who lent it to an exhibition in Siena of Duccio and his school. The painting was eventually withdrawn from the exhibition and sold (Tomkins 2). Madonna and Child painting dated 1300 and was painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna a Sienese painter, who is considered the founder of modern Italian painting. I chose to research this painting because the subject matter of religious imagery and symbols interests me. Also because when I looked at the painting the emotion on the Madonna’s face almost jumped out at me. It is as if, she is looking at her newborn child with this deep sadness, which almost makes you think that the painting is foreshadowing the death of Jesus Christ. In addition, the burns of the side of the frame peaked my interest, as to why they were there. Art critics were also interested in this work they even consider Madonna and Child one of Duccio’s perfect works, and it said to be worth all the other paintings exhibited under the name of Duccio (Christiansen 14). The Madonna and Child painting’s iconography, imagery, emotional appeal to the viewers, and meaning all make this painting still a great work of art today.

    Read More

  • How did artists and writers reflect Renaissance ideals?

    674 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Renaissance was a time characterized by a curiosity about human experience and the world around Renaissance thinkers. A main focus of the Renaissance was ancient Rome and Greece, which people studied in order to get a better understanding of their world. Artists and writers were able to express the ideals of the Renaissance by using an element of realism in their work that people of the time could easily relate to and understand.

    Read More

  • Art in the Italian Renaissance

    1757 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Italian Renaissance included some of the greatest artists we have ever seen from Leonard Da Vinci, to Michelangelo, and Raphael. The Renaissance took place from the late thirteenth to sixteenth centuries and is know as the ‘rebirth’. The idea that the rebirth of the arts after being asleep for a thousand years is an amazing thing to grasp. This time brought back light to liberal arts, which were on the brink of being extinct. (Murray 2) What is also interesting about art during this time was that most of the art had Christian in its roots, for example, Botticelli’s The Allegory of Spring (Faure 1) is said to have had a Christian interpretation. (Murray) “Every Italian artist, willingly took the title of architect, sculptor, and painter” (Faure 2). At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the Italian painters had asked the Flemish painters for their secret techniques because the Italians felt like the language of painting was one that was always meant for them. (Faure 4) The sculptors claimed their inspiration from ancient works. Lastly the Renaissance introduced idea of individualism, which helped the Italians get away from everything that was going on during that time. Art during the Renaissance included painting, sculpting and architecture, all of which were an important part in expressing the idea of individualism and making art what is is today.

    Read More

  • Renaisance Education: Values and Purposes

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Renaissance was a time of change. It began in Italy during the 14th century, and spread throughout the North. People all over Europe were affected, for the better and for the worse. Some people finally had a chance to control their own fate. Others, like upper class women, lost their social status. The values and purposes of Renaissance education were to improve the society, increase the economy, and restore the religious beliefs.

    Read More

  • Virgin Mary

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Renaissance, the Virgin Mary was prevalent theme throughout this period where artists such as: Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Bothicellical and Perugino were inspired to paint the Virgin Mary. The paintings show a motherly pleasant looking women holding or caring for her child. The paints are capturing the Mary as a human but giving her a divine appearance. The child being Christ shows her power by giving birth to him and by caring for the Son of God. In essence providing love, caring, and protection for the young child of God. For example, plate 15 and frame 23, these plates show a compassionate caring mother that is humanistic in depiction but larger or more encompassing of the painting than the Christ child. This is implying her importance in the early life of Christ. This also shows the power or her earthly influence over the child even though she is a human and not a deity. This gives her a special place in the church as the earthly Mother that is the most perfect of humans, other than Christ.

    Read More

  • Madonna Of The Clouds

    929 Words  | 2 Pages

    The title of the piece, Madonna of the Clouds, implies setting; however, Mary’s robes blend in with the surrounding cherubs, creating a mass of folds. Donatello shows perspective through subtle changes in the depths of carving – stiacciato relief – a technique that he devised (Britannica). This varying strength of line utilizes shadows to enhance emotion, as seen with the Virgin Mary. The concern that she shows for her son in her arm foreshadows his fateful end. This expression though, is not only demonstrated within the facial features of her profile, but also in the ever-present shadow under her chin, directly above Christ’s head. Stiacciato relief depends on the reflection off of pale materials, like marble, in order to manipulate light to enhance or detract from the forms themselves (Britannica). Donatello controls his medium to work with his audience’s position, casting shadows to be where they are most meaningful. Awareness of his viewers’ angle ceased to allude Donatello as his earlier marble masterpieces, the sculptures at the Or San Michele, employed their alleviated situations to accentuate his subject’s personalities as seen with Saint

    Read More

More about Virgin Mary In The Italian Renaissance

Open Document